Conveyer for sheet driers



2l, v1930 4 Sheets-Sheet l B. F. CLARK CONYEYER FOR SHEET DRIERS Filed Oct.

June 2l, 1932.

n Nv@ vh q Y E E June 21, 1932. B. F. CLARK 1,864,415

coNvEYER FOR SHEET DRIERS Filed Oct. 21,1930 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 CONVEYER FOR SHEET DRIERS Filed Oct. 21, 1930 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 June 2l, B CLARK 1,864,415

coNvEYER FOR SHEET DRIERS Fiied oqt. 2i, 195o 4 shets-sheet 4 f Patented June 21, 1932 UNITED srArlezis PATENT OFFICE `nENNETrE. CLARK, OE NEW BRUNSWICK, NEW JERSEY, AssIeNORrO JOHN WAEERON CORPORATION OE NEW BRUNSWICK, NEW JERSEY, A ooRPORATrON OE NEW JERSEY ooNvEYER lEoR SHEET DRIERS Application med cantar 21, 1530; serial No. 490,255.'

This invention relates to vsheet tdriers, and more particularly to the construction yof conveyers for sheet driers. I

K An important Object :of the invention is the J provision-of a conveyer struct-ure for :sheet driers of such character that neither the conveyer nor 'the supported trays-interferes materially with the circulation of `air through the drier.-

"T0 A further Aobjectot the invention is to provide a 'novel :and improved traystructure for usein sheet conveyers.

A still further object lof the invention .is the provisironfof ia conveyer'structure of lthis le character wherein a selected tray v'or trays may be readily removed without interfering with the operation of the remainder thereof. A still further fobj ect .of the invention is 'the provision of .a construction Of-this `character wherein not only 'the tray but the tray support may be removed without interfering with `the operation ofthe conveyer.

These :and other objects I attain by the n construction 'shown in the accompanying drawings wherein. :for the purpose Aof illustration, I have shown Ya preferred embodiment of my invention and wherein:

Fig. lis a 'hagmentary-sideelevationlof a Y. conveyer for sheet driers constructed in vac- -cordance with my invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged transverse sectional view therethrough; v

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevation of a section ofthe conveyer.; 5 4 is a fragmentary enlargement of the structure Aillustrated in Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is azsection on line--of Fig. 4; Fig. 6 is an :enlarged ,fragmentary plan view'of asection of'tliecnveyer; Fig. 7 isa fragmetaryplan view of one of vthe trays; f"

Figfdsn'l'detail sectional `view taken ata pointdicatedby line 8 8 of Fig. 'Z' through :pair Vof Aadjacent trays l -f Fig. 9 is 'a 'detail lsectional view Athrough the clamp employed for securing the trays tothe conveyer flights; n

Fig. 10 is al fragmentary sectionalview Asimilar tothat of Fig. 6 showing a'modiiied construction for providing `a seat for thefo supported sheets;

Fig. 1l is a similar viewo'f a further modirfication; .and

Fig. l2 is .a vside elevation of `the structure illustrated .in Fig. 11. .Referring now more particularly to the drawings, the numeral 10 generally designates .sprocket chains which, in the ordinany `drier construction, operate over"tracks 11 .suitably ksupported within a 4housing l2. The-qm working flight fofthe chain extends through i the .housing VVand the return flight 4may'extend through the housing or not as desired, the articles to be dried being placed vupon the trays of the working flight at #one end of the E housingand removed therefrom at the Opposite end. The circulated heated air in the housing is'fgenerallyadmitted to the housing between the flightsof lthe conveyer, as at points I6 distributed along the length lof the Slo housing, and passes Vupwardly between the trays to dry the surfaces of sheets supported thereby leaving the housing `through either 'fan open top or,l as disclosed in the'fpresent instance, through portals -17 formed in Ythis 35 *top.' The ordinary conveyer structure employed for this purpose is of such character that the trays or the tray supports tend :to block the passageof air and interfere with its,/ lproper'circulation. In accordance with my Bo invention, the inner side plates 18 of the sprocket chain `units `19 are each provided at what vare the outer edges thereof during useful travel of the conveyer with an Yinwardly-directed angular flange 20.l The S5 flanges of corresponding units'are connected by metal cross bars 21 having theirflarger dimension vertically disposed as regards the central portion ofthe bar. At points immediately adjacent fthe ends vof the vloar a W sharp twist 22 is formed therein providing horizontally-disposed portions 23 which rest upon, and are secured to, the flanges 20 as at 24 'Ihe tray 15 is preferably constructed as a skeletonic frame embodying two or more feet 25 preferably forming end portions of the frame. This frame is likewise construct-ed of bar metal and the feet 25 thereof are preferably presented to the supports formed by the cross bars 21v with their greatest cross sectional area in the direction of travel of the conveyer. As a means for attaching the trays to the cross bars, I provide Uv-shaped clips 26, the arms; 27 of which are perforated for the passage of feet as indicated at 28 and the cross bar 29 of which has a threaded aperture 30 for the passage ofa set screw 31. The clips are placed Vagainst the faces of the verticallyarranged portion of the cross `bar and the feet 25 slipped through the openings 28 at the opposite side of the bar 21 from the cross bar 29 of the clip.

The set screws 31 are then employed to .draw

As a means for providing a seat for the lower edges of sheets supported by the tray, I secure to each of the outermost of the feet 25 a sheet support shown in Figs. 1 to 9 as an angle bar 32, these angle'bars being of a length greater than the 'distance between adjacent bars 21 so that in the normal position ofthe trays and during flight travel thereof the space between adjacent trays'is bridged; alternate angle bar supports 32'at the same side of the conveyer are secured to opposite sides of their respective'feet.

In Figs. 10 to 12, I have illustrated a modification of the method of Vproviding the sheet supports 32. Inthese figures the sheets are illustrated as Supported by means of the angular upper ends 35 of members 36 secured in assembled relation to the cross bar 21 and to the associated leg by clips 26-11J `'similar to the clips 26 hereinbefore described.

Each member 36 comprises an L-Shaped piece of bar iron preferably of the same dimensions as that employed in the construction of the tray. While independent clips might be employed for attaching one leg of each of these members 36 to the associated cross bar, I prefer that a single clip such as shown in Fig. 10 be employed, this clip having the opening 28-a of suflicient width to accommodate passage both of the leg 25 and the attaching leg 37 of the member 36. The rear walls of these openings are angular as indicated at 38 so that when pressure is applied through the adjusting screw 31-d the action of these walls upon the legs 25 and 37 tends "to crowd the'legs together so that they clamp not only against the bars 21 but against one another.l 4The leg 35 of' each member y36 is preferably angularly deflected as more clear- -th'e passage of drying air results.

Vendless side members, cross bars connecting tostr'addle the cross member and aperturedda0 ly shown in Fig. 11, so that it will engage the opposite side of the leg of the following tray from that side at which it is disposed with respect to the tray leg against which it is clamped. If desired, however, the legs 35 may be made straight and the members 36 arranged upon opposite sides of the tray legs as suggested in Fig. 10.

In order that the upper ends of the trays may be held in properly spaced relation, I provide each tray with a flat seat 33 arranged in the general plane of the tray and with a longitudinally-projecting tongue 34 which engages the seat 33 of the adjacent tray. It will be lnoted from an inspection of Fig. 1 80 that sheets'passing from'the delivery conveyer DC onto the several trays Vwill be depositedin these trays at a time when the trays incline downwardly from their inner or attached ends. The hooks formed by trays during the period when the tray is movf ing from its receiving position to a position where it inclines upwardly from the point of its attachment. Y p

j It willbe obvious that a construction of this character provides an efficient conveying mechanism Awherein a minimum resistance to VIt will also be obvious that'this construction'is capable of a certain range kof change and modification without in any manner departing from the spirit of my invention, I

accordingly do not limit myself thereto except as hereinafter claimed.

,Y I claim: v 1 y f i1. A conveyer for sheet driers comprising endless side members, cross bars connecting said side members at spaced intervals, a tray associated witheach cross bar and having feet to extend adjacent one face of the cross bar, U-shapedclips adapted to straddle the crossbar and having apertures for the passage of said feet and means for shifting the no clips to force the feet into engagement' with the cross bar. Y j

2.V A conveyer for sheet driers comprising said side members, a tray embodying legs associated with each cross bar and having the legs thereof engaged against a longitudinal Vface of the associated cross bar, mem- I bers associated with said legs and lying thereagainst and against the cross bar and a. common means for forcing said members against the legs and against the cross bar and angular upper ends onksaid members projecting in the direction of travel of the conveyer.

3.* In a sheet conveyenand in combination, endless side members, cr`oss members connecting the same, a tray associated with each cross member and having feet to extendadj acent one face thereof, U-shapedclips adapted shifted.

BENNETT F. CLARK. 

